Cipher Text

Tom Burtonwood, Cipher Text, laser print on paper, dims var, 2011

Cipher-text.
Laser print on paper.
Dims var.
2011

Each roll is currently 108H x 36W inches, although in the current format i can print 36 inches wide by up to 240 inches tall. There are two designs. Each design features 13 “internet acronyms” encoded and hidden in my alphabet / font: Hedgehog. There are two different QR codes embedded in the designs. The first QR links to a simple Processing image sequence that acts as a “reveal” – momentarily matching letters A – Z in both Helvetica and Hedgehog. The second QR links back to a website that lists many “internet acronyms.” Using these embedded QR codes visitors are invited to attempt to decode the wall paper.

Cipher-Text is a continuation of my interest embedding “data” in seemingly abstract or geometric shapes. The QR code uses arbitrary geometric designs to encode urls in a visual form. The Hedgehog font allows myself and others to hide text, phrases and acronyms in plain sight *AND* make nice patterns to look at. ; D

Cipher-Text: Reveal

Cipher-Text installed at Sidecar Gallery, Hammond, IN., November 2011.